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Piggy Has A Head Tilt Think Shes In Pain

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Kirstie

Kirstie

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ok so here goes my story is a long one.
I purchased two beautiful little lady pigs from pets at home for my daughters birthday (they are a pressie to me in disguise) back in April. by day 6 Belle clearly had a snotty nose and so I took her to the vets and she was on numerous courses of Baytril before we got rid of it. unfortunately right before she got rid of it she passed it on to her wee friend Sweetie. she was at the vets today for her snotty nose and has been prescribed Baytril of which she has had the first does. however, she has over the last few hours developed a head tilt and is sitting in her cage a very sad looking little lady. I think she is in pain. I have googled what I can do and there is a suggestion I could perhaps give her calpol till I can get her to the vets tomorrow? she is already on Baytril now or I would phone the emergency vet but if I could make comfortable for tonight then I could take her to the pets at home vets tomorrow and get metacalm? what dose can I give her of calpol? she weighs 543 grams. thanks for your help
 
Please dont give her any calpol/paracetamol. We cant advise dosages on human medication.

She may need a different antibiotic since shes developed this whilst on baytril, and will most probably need metacam. Is she eating? If not please step in with syringe feeding- it is vital for a piggys guts to keep moving, otherwise gut stasis will set in which is life threatening on its own.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Do you have acces to a piggy savvy emergency vet?
 
Yes shes eating although not with usual gusto. Her Baytril only started today she's only had the one dose bless her. I live in Scotland and think the piggy savvy vets aren't so common up here. The Vet the has been seeing has been really good and the reason she didn't get metacam is because she is much much more wriggly than her little friend and the vet wanted to prioritise the antibiotic as she wasn't showing any signs of being in discomfort. This has been a nightmare so far poor wee piggies.
 
oh I see your in Glasgow. I'm in West Lothian. currently pets at home are still covering the cost of her treatment as Belle had it when they sold her to me and shes given it to Sweetie. hence why I haven't branched further afield with vets lol.
 
Kirstie said:
oh I see your in Glasgow. I'm in West Lothian. currently pets at home are still covering the cost of her treatment as Belle had it when they sold her to me and shes given it to Sweetie. hence why I haven't branched further afield with vets lol.
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I'm not sure about vets in edinburgh I'm afraid! Ask for metacam tomorrow- it will bring down the inflammation giving the antibiotics a better shot at working. Didnt realise she's just started them, so they may still be effective, but ask for metacam oral solution if you can :-)
 
Has the vet checked the ears for infection or ear mites? When we got Bramble from pets at home she had a variety of different issues including both earmites and fungal in the one ear which has lead to her having a slight constant tilt now even though the mites are gone. The uri she had turned out to be high sensitivity to a slightly dusty brand of hay we were using too! The poor things were in and out of the vets for weeks and weeks due to the ones pets at home using being a bit iffy with piggies.
 
She is a much happier girl today. Still quiet and subdued but getting nosier again by the hour and much more willing to come see what tasty treat I've got. Honestly I've been at the vets every week since the middle of April with these poor wee girls. Hoping this 2 week course of baytril will be the end of it. At least until they are old grumpy ladies
 
My Guinea pig, Butter cup was tilting her head a couple months ago. When she moved she would squeal, so that's how I knew something was wrong. I rushed her to the vet, and it turns out she had an ear infection. She was fine after antibiotics. Recently when I went on vacation, a couple days before I left she wasn't eating. I took her to the vet, and she was diagnosed with elongated roots:( and she apparently had minor ear aches throughout her life. Guinea pigs are very good at hiding their illnesses, so I would recommend taking her to the vet
 
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